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What do sustainable change and a summer bike trip have in common?
Just back from a long bike trip, I noted many similarities between that trip and sustainable change projects. This post outlines how common goals, planning, building on what’s there, engagement, momentum, and priority setting all contribute.
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Transition: highly systemic and deeply personal
This post on transitions is based on a Dutch article posted on the Change Inc. platform and a lively conversation between Nicolas Chevrollier and Marjolein Baghuis. From the energy transition to the protein transition, we are in the middle of the shift toward a more sustainable world. This calls for a new type of leadership,…
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Giving back vs paying it forward
Early May 2024, I addressed my class at our Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management reunion. On a panel about the road less traveled by MBAs, focused on my role as a lecturer at UPEACE and Nyenrode Business University. I was honored to be on stage with impressive gentlemen: Milton Liu who leads the…
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Talent, transition, and time to think big in retail
Everything we buy has an impact on the planet, on society. Perhaps you already eat as much organic food as you can find and only use renewable energy sources to heat and light your house. For other categories – such as fashion, lifestyle and beauty – it is more challenging to find sustainable, circular options…
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The art of exiting a reality
The arts possess immense potential as agents of change, capable of challenging people’s assumptions and worldviews. Artists can use the power of imagination to help us envision a future we want. Some art can even catalyze the behavioral changes needed to build that better future. It helps us let go of our egos and privileges,…
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Key skills for sustainability
Whether you want to become a sustainability manager or contribute to a sustainable future in another role, there are key skills you need to master at three different levels. Ethical leadership The individual level is the starting point. You must understand your own values and motivations to contribute to a better world. This self-awareness helps…
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The discomfort of directors’ responsibility
A group of 38 Dutch executive and non-executive directors spent nearly two years working together on sustainability in the boardroom. In the program, they identified good practices, virtues, and capabilities required for effective leadership in societal transitions. The outcomes of this program – aptly called “Discomfort in the boardroom” – were presented at an event…
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Teaching for positive change
For the fifth consecutive year, I had the opportunity to teach a course on Responsible Management at the University for Peace (UPEACE) in Costa Rica. Here are my learnings from this year in the Responsible Management of Sustainable Economic Development Master Program. Focus is key – in teaching and organizations To make it more useful…
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4 ingredients for business as a force for good
“Degrowth is not the solution I see for a more sustainable future. Instead, I really see the companies of the future as a force for good. Companies exist to create value. Unfortunately, in many cases, this is focused on just one kind of value-creation: financial value for shareholders. This might still be viable in the…
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Balancing science with art for sustainable change
“Can we make this analysis more scientific?”, a client asked the other day. And of course, there’s always more data and science that could be used for target-setting and analysis. But data and science aren’t always the best ingredients to create impact. Instead, art could be just what you need to drive positive change. Art…
